Believe it of not, perfume has been around for centuries. Archaeologists and antiquity experts have even found traces of perfume from ancient Egypt and ancient Rome, which tells us yet again that as much as human behavior changes, in many ways, it stays the same. Over the centuries, cultures all over the world have pioneered their own quintessential fragrances, from the long-lasting ouds of the Arab world to the sweet citrusy frankincense of North and Western Africa. Yet another hotspot of classic perfumery is France, which has become well-known for its luxurious fragrances—particularly florals like rose, lavender, and jasmine, which are often harvested in Grasse, a town north of Cannes that's sometimes referred to as the perfume capital of the world.
But when we're talking about French perfume, which brands do we mean exactly? Which are the heritage brands that have been revered for decades, and which are the newer brands to know that are pushing the boundaries of traditional perfumery? Below, a list of ten essential French perfume brands to keep on your radar.
Hermès
Heritage fashion house Hermès has long been beloved by fashion aficionados, having opened in 1837 in Paris with the purpose of creating simple, timeless styles. The brand has produced countless legendary haute couture and ready-to-wear styles, along with accessories and jewelry, and made its first foray into fragrance in 1951. This first perfume, called Eau d'Hermès was meant to conjure the image of "the inside of a Hermès bag in which the aroma of a perfume lingers." Since then, the brand has developed more popular fragrances, each of smells luxurious.
First developed in 2004, Hermès’ Eau des Merveillesis a classic earthy, woody scent. It contains key notes of benzoin, which is reminiscent of vanilla; elemi, a citrusy and peppery oil similar to frankincense; and bitter orange, which balances out the other, warmer fragrance notes. It’s lighter than one would expect from a woody perfume, making it ideal for anyone looking to try earthy perfumes for the first time or for someone looking for a perfectly balanced fragrance.
Customer Review: " Initially it’s very woody and spicy but as time goes on it gracefully fades into a much lighter, (kind of?) citrusy scent that’s equally sexy. I cannot leave my house without this. Doesn’t matter if I’m going to the gas station or a night out in River Oaks, this fragrance is as important as my eyebrows; without them I am nothing." -Sephora
Chanel
Chanel is another iconic Parisian brand that started out focusing on fashion before exploring the world of fragrance. They've released a number of popular scents, many of which I've dissected in my list of the best Chanel perfumes of all time, and, based on their history, they're bound to come out with more hits as the years go on.
Described as “irresistibly sensual,” this wildly popular fragrance from Chanel was inspired by the young Coco Chanel when she was busy breaking tradition as a fresh-faced designer in 1920s Paris. Its key note of bright, sweet orange communicates its lightness and youth, while heart notes of jasmine and May rose lend the fragrance a more balanced, sexy energy. Finally, Coco Mademoiselle finishes with notes of vetiver and patchouli—heady notes reminiscent of incense that happen to be among my favorites.
Customer Review: "Love love mademoiselle. Been using this for 6 years. I'll never change. Sultry is what I wanted, that's what I get, Everytime, makes me smile." -Chanel
Dior
Heritage fashion house Dior saw its inception in Paris in 1946, and began exploring fragrances a year later with the release of the Miss Dior women's perfume. The brand has since become hugely popular in both the fashion and beauty spaces, having expanded to both men's and women's fragrances. They've also partnered with some of the most popular celebrities of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries, including Sharon Stone, Jennifer Lawrence, Rihanna, and more.
A close friend of mine swears by Miss Dior, and has worn it every single day since she discovered it in college over ten years ago. The fragrance is the first that Dior ever came out with, and its continued popularity is a testament to its timelessness and versatility. It’s a floral fragrance that features key notes of Lily of the Valley, peony, grasse rose, and centifolia rose, but its notes of vanilla, musk, and benzoin keep it from smelling too overpowering.
Customer Review: "I am heavily into floral fragrances and this one stays on the longest among the many luxury brand perfumes I own. It almost lasts six to eight hours. Highly recommend it." -Ulta
MEMO Paris
MEMO Paris is one of my new favorite fragrance brands. Each of their scents is meant to evoke a certain exotic location, tapping into the magic and inspiration of global travel. For each perfume, the brand partners with a visual artist and an author to create illustrated books and unique branding based on each locale and fragrance profile.
Marfa is my most recent obsession from MEMO Paris. It’s inspired by the town of Marfa, Texas, which is known for its expansive desert and its gorgeous views of the star- filled night sky. The fragrance itself contains citrusy notes like oil of mandarin and orange blossom absolute, along with Texas- inspired agave accord and tuberose absolute. For a woodier touch, the fragrance also contains notes of cedar oil, white musk, sandalwood oil, and vanilla seed, finished off with the sweet floral scent of ylang ylang.
Parfums de Marly
While Parfums de Marly is a relatively new brand, having only been founded in 2009, its fragrances draw from history and the art of the 17th and 18th centuries. In particular, this luxury brand's fragrances take inspiration from the art and regal culture of Versailles—something reflected in both the perfumes' premium ingredients and in the inttricate glasswork of their bottles.
I love opting for this perfume in the evenings—particularly during crisp fall and winter nights, when I want my fragrance to match the energy of the season. Althaïr is the ultimate autumn perfume, with top notes of cinnamon, bergamot, and orange blossom, making for a balanced, spicy yet cozy first impression. Althaïr’s heart notes, meanwhile, are elemi and bourbon vanilla, while contains base notes of praline, musk, guaiacwood, ambrox. Warm yet sultry, elevated yet accessible, it’s an option that truly has something for everyone.
Customer Review: "Parfum de Marly didn’t miss with Althair!! This is honestly a must have for the fall/winter. It’s such a complex vanilla fragrance. It smells warm, inviting, and seductive. I know it’s unisex but ladies!!!! LADIES! Grab your bottle NOW!" -Nordstrom
Henry Jacques
Henry Jacques was founded by Henry Cremona and his wife, Yvette, who made a commitment to found a perfume brand whose scents tapped into "the beauty of life." The brand is now headed by their daughter, Anne-Lise Cremona, who continues to hold up the parfumerie's legacy of creating potent, bespoke fragrances from raw, natural ingredients.
This premium scent from Henry Jacques is among the brand’s most popular, and with good reason. It’s part of the Les Classiques line, playing a central role in Henry Jacques’ identity as a parfumerie. At once floral, musky, and woody, it’s anchored in rich base notes of cedarwood, white musk, and fragrant iris. Meanwhile, its middle notes are Lily of the Valley, carnation, and lilac, lending the formula its distinctive floral elements. Finally, it’s finished off with top notes of ylang ylang and rose centifolia.
Ex Nihilo
Another relatively new brand that's taken the fragrance world by storm, Ex Nihilo (which means "out of nothing" in Latin) was founded by three young entrepreneurs in Paris who sought an alternative to mass-produced luxury products. Instead, they wanted to create a brand with "its own conception of personalized luxury" that utilized raw materials to make scents you can't find anywhere else.
Love Shot is one of Ex Nihilo’s most popular scents, and promises to tap into “sophisticated and uninhibited Parisian femininity.” In particular, its formula was inspired by the Palace Club, a legendary club that opened in Paris in the late 1960s and came to define Parisian nightlife into the 1970s. Created by perfumer Natalie Cetto, the fragrance has top notes of peony, pink berries, and bergamot, with sultry heart notes of jasmine, patchouli, and raspberry accord. Finally, its base notes are vetiver, leather accord, vanilla, and musk—an ode to smoky bars and twilight taxis.
Customer Review: "The leather used here is airy, powdery, and reminiscent of makeup. There’s a fruity and sweet note accompanying it. This combination is chic, youthful and very feminine." -Fragrantica
Diptyque
Beloved by celebrities like Beyoncé, Taylor Swift, Meghan Markle, and more, Diptyque is an incredibly popular French brand. They carry everything from home fragrance (their candles, in particular, are all the rage) to hair and body mist to scented lotion. I personally love how potent their eau de parfums and body mists are, and their bottles always look so gorgeous on my vanity.
Another perfect perfume for fall and winter, this fragrance is made to be warm and spicy. It’s meant to evoke the sense of “traveling through time and over borders,” containing smoky notes of cypriol and the woody, suede- like smell of calamus. It’s also infused with pink peppercorn for a sharp, invigorating touch, and with warm bourbon vanilla at its heart to balance the other elements out. Reviewers love it for its long staying power and for its sweet (but not overwhelming) scent.
Customer Review: "I have recently fallen in love with Diptyque and this was the first fragrance I bought. It’s a beautiful warm and spicy vanilla with woody/incense undertones. The vanilla is the perfect level, not overtly sweet just warm and comforting. It lasts well throughout the day on my skin and I actually love how the smell transforms throughout the day. It is a perfect evening/autumn/winter perfume but also reminiscent of a European summer holiday." -Nordstrom
Frederic Malle
Frédéric Malle was born into a line of perfume aficionados: His grandfather founded Parfums Christian Dior, and his mother spent the majority of her career running the department as well. Malle himself then went on to work in perfumery for over 25 years before founding his own brand, which is focused on harvesting raw materials to create unique scents that are balanced yet entirely one of a kind.
This scent was developed by perfumer Dominique Ropion to be a sensual, evocative rose fragrance unlike any other. It contains what the brand calls “the strongest ever dosage of rose essence,” balanced out by a patchouli heart note. It also contains elements of benzoin, warm cinnamon, earthy sandalwood, and incense-like frankincense and musk. It’s quite potent, though, so the brand recommends wearing it on its own, in moderation, rather than layering it with other fragrances.
Yves Saint Laurent
Finally, we have heritage fashion and beauty powerhouse Yves Saint Laurent. The brand was founded in 1961 and started creating fragrances only three years later, beginning with the "lush, heavy, and languid" fragrance Y. Since then, the brand has created 250 perfumes and has become a significant player in the world of fragrance.
This highly feminine option is meant to evoke thoughts and feelings of freedom, with its intense blend of florals that lasts all day and leaves a memorable trail behind the wearer. It smells mainly of citrus and lavender, incorporating both French- grown Diva lavender and relaxing white lavender in its formula. For other, livelier elements, it includes Moroccan orange blossom, bergamot, and mandarin orange, along with warm base notes of amber and vanilla to tie it all together.
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